Composite structures and methods of forming composite structures

Abstract

Composite structures and methods of forming composite structures are provided. A composite structure as disclosed herein incorporates one or more composite structure components, such as composite panels and composite inserts. A composite panel is formed from one or more sheets of fiber reinforced thermoplastic material. Composite inserts can include one or more composite blocks or braided sleeves. A composite block can be formed as a stacked or molded structure from trimmings or waste produced during the formation of the composite structures. A braided sleeve can include a seamless, woven sleeve formed of reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic threads. In a completed composite structure, composite inserts are at least partially disposed within a volume defined by surfaces of composite panels. The various composite structures and inserts can be given a final shape and can be fused to one another in a molding and fusing step.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A composite structure, comprising:
 a first component part, the first component part including a first composite panel; 
 a second component part, the second component part including a second composite panel, wherein the first component part is fused to the second component part, and wherein an interior volume is formed between an interior surface of the first component part and an interior surface of the second component part; 
 a first composite insert, wherein the first composite insert is a composite block, wherein at least a first portion of the first composite insert is in contact with and is fused to a portion of the interior surface of the first component part, wherein at least a second portion of the first composite insert is in contact with a portion of the interior surface of the second component part; and 
 a second composite insert, wherein the second composite insert is a braided sleeve. 
 
     
     
       2. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein along at least a first line an entire longitudinal extent of an outer surface of the braided sleeve is in contact with one of the interior surface of the first component part or the interior surface of the second component part. 
     
     
       3. The composite structure of  claim 2 , wherein across at least a first section an entire outer circumference of the braided sleeve is in contact with the interior surface of at least one of the first or second component parts. 
     
     
       4. The composite structure of  claim 3 , wherein, at least at the first section, the interior volume is not round. 
     
     
       5. The composite structure of  claim 3 , wherein, at least at the first section, the interior volume is irregular. 
     
     
       6. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein across at least a first section an entire outer circumference of the braided sleeve is in contact with the interior surface of at least one of the first or second component parts. 
     
     
       7. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of an outer surface of the braided sleeve is exposed through an aperture formed in one of the first component part or the second component part. 
     
     
       8. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein at least a first end of the braided sleeve is in contact with the composite block. 
     
     
       9. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein the composite block is a solid thermoplastic and fiber reinforced element. 
     
     
       10. The composite structure of  claim 1 , wherein the composite block has a three dimensional shape that at least partially conforms to a shape of the interior surface of the first component part, and that at least partially conforms to a shape of the interior surface of the second component part. 
     
     
       11. The composite structure of  claim 9 , wherein the composite block includes a plurality of layers of fiber reinforced composite material. 
     
     
       12. A composite structure, comprising:
 a first component, wherein the first component includes a panel incorporating a plurality of sheets of fiber reinforced thermoplastic material; 
 a second component, wherein the second component includes a panel incorporating a plurality of sheets of fiber reinforced thermoplastic material; 
 a first composite insert, wherein the first composite insert includes a plurality of reinforcing fibers and a thermoplastic material, and wherein at least a portion of the first composite insert is located within a first portion of an interior volume located between an interior surface of the first component and an interior surface of the second component and 
 a second composite insert, wherein the second composite insert includes a plurality of reinforcing fibers and a thermoplastic material, wherein at least a portion of the second composite insert is located within a second portion of the interior volume located between the interior surface of the first component and the interior surface of the second component, wherein the first and second components are fused to one another along at least a first joint portion, wherein the first composite insert is fused to at least one of the first and second components, wherein the second composite insert is fused to at least one of the first and second components, wherein the first composite insert includes surfaces in contact with an interior surface of the first component and an interior surface of the second component, wherein the first composite insert is a composite block, and wherein the second composite insert is a braided sleeve. 
 
     
     
       13. The composite structure of  claim 12 , wherein at least a first section of the interior volume is not round, wherein a portion of an exterior surface of the braided sleeve is fused to the interior surface of the first component at the first section, and wherein another portion of an exterior surface of the braided sleeve is fused to the interior surface of the second component at the first section. 
     
     
       14. The composite structure of  claim 13 , wherein the braided sleeve extends from the first section to a second section, and wherein, between the first and second sections, an entirety of the exterior surface of the braided sleeve is in contact with interior surfaces of the first or second components. 
     
     
       15. The composite structure of  claim 12 , wherein a portion of the first composite insert is fused to a portion of the second composite insert. 
     
     
       16. A method of forming a composite structure, comprising:
 forming a first composite panel in three dimensions; 
 forming a second composite panel in three dimensions; 
 placing a first composite block adjacent at least a portion of first interior surface of the first composite panel; 
 placing a first braided sleeve adjacent at least another portion of the first interior surface of the first composite panel; and 
 joining the first composite panel, the second composite panel, the first composite block, and the first braided sleeve to one another in a fusing step. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the first composite panel in three dimensions includes heating a first plurality of sheets of a fiber reinforced thermoplastic material to a temperature that is equal to or greater than a melting point of the thermoplastic material and fusing the first plurality of sheets to one another, and wherein forming the second composite panel in three dimensions includes heating a second plurality of sheets of the fiber reinforced thermoplastic material to the temperature that is equal to or greater than a melting point of the thermoplastic material and fusing the second plurality of sheets to one another. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 after forming the first composite panel in three dimensions, placing the first composite panel in a first side of a mold, wherein placing a first composite block adjacent at least a portion of first interior surface of the first composite panel and placing a first braided sleeve adjacent at least another portion of the first interior surface of the first composite panel are performed after placing the first composite panel in the first side of the mold; 
 placing a forming element adjacent at least still another portion of the first interior surface of the first composite panel; and 
 after forming the second composite panel in three dimensions, placing the second composite panel in a second side of the mold, wherein joining the first composite panel, the second composite panel, the first composite block, and the first braided sleeve to one another in a fusing step includes bringing the first and second sides of the mold together and applying heat and pressure. 
 
     
     
       19. The composite structure of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third composite insert, wherein the third composite insert is a composite block that is in contact with and is fused to another portion of the interior surface of the first component part. 
 
     
     
       20. The composite structure of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a fourth composite insert, wherein the fourth composite insert is a braided sleeve, wherein the fourth composite insert is in contact with an interior surface of the first component part, and wherein the fourth composite insert is not in contact with the interior surface of the second component part.